The University of Minnesota Extension Slayton Winter Crops Day and Small Grains Program will be held in person on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at the 4-H Building in Slayton. Registration will begin at 8:30 am, with the program running from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Whether you farm or work with farmers, this program is a great opportunity to hear the latest University-based research and information about corn, soybean, and small grain production issues and management strategies. The morning’s Winter Crops Day program will focus on corn and soybean management topics pertinent to our area. The Southern Small Grain Workshop will follow in the afternoon, where topics will address successful small grain management.
This event will be held in the 4-H Building in Slayton, Minnesota at 3048 Broadway Ave., Slayton, Minnesota. To ensure adequate program materials and food are available, attendees are encouraged to register by Tuesday, February 21 at z.umn.edu/2023WinterCropsDay, or call the Murray County Extension Office at 507-836-6927. Thanks to generous sponsor support, there is no cost to attend this program.
Schedule for the Slayton Winter Crops Day & Southern Small Grains Tour presentation:
• Check-in: 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
• Winter Crops Day presentations: 9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
• Lunch: 12:15 – 12:45 p.m.
• FSA & NRCS Program Updates: 12:45 – 1:00 p.m.
• Southern Small Grains workshop: 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. At the morning Winter Crops Day Program, Crops Extension Educator Liz Stahl will cover “Weed Management – Where’s the easy button?”. Integrated Pest Management Specialist Bruce Potter will discuss “Do economical, low-stress insect management strategies exist?”. Water Resource Educator Brad Carlson will talk about, “Nitrogen Management Considerations for 2023”, followed by State Soil Health Specialist Anna Cates, who will discuss, “Benefits of Soil Health Practices – How reduced tillage and cover crops can improve soil structure, reduce erosion, and improve infiltration and waterholding capacity”.
The Small Grains program will follow lunch and updates from our local agencies. Small Grains Specialist Jochum Weirsma and Diane DeWitte, Swine Extension Educator, will focus on the latest recommendations for production and pest management. As always, the Small Grains Update will be a discussion-based meeting based on our area producer’s needs, so bring your questions. Topics covered by Jochum and Dianne will include production agronomics, variety selection, soil fertility, and economics.
A special thank you to the following sponsors for their support of this program: Chandler Co-op, Murray County Corn & Soybean Growers, Murray County Farm Bureau Association, Spronk Seed Farm of Edgerton, and the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers.
Source: Melissa Runck, U of M Extension, (507) 836-1143, mkrunck@umn.edu
